An enjoyable drama about a family mending from catastrophe. On Netflix.
Penguin Bloom
“It’s like Mum was stolen from us.” Noah (Griffin Murray-Johnston)
Shamelessly sentimental, yes; simply striking, yes. After the confining tyranny of a pandemic, it’s time to be freed by a true story, Penguin Bloom, of loss and redemption that may bring tears (ok, it will) of joy at recognizing heroic humans just like us living through even worse than a raging COVID and past president. Narrated by tween Noah, Penguin Bloom makes you face the reality of loss while it frees you up to soar like a bird when you embrace humanity once again.
Dispel your fears about Nicolas Sparks or Hallmark sentimentality, for this Australian drama is about a mother, Sam Bloom (Naomi Watts), who breaks her back and the hearts of a loving family, only to be redeemed by a kayak and squawking Magpie (Gerry, Clipper, and Eugene). It hits hard about the sacrifices everyone suffers after such a tragedy and the joys of beating back the gloom with the emergence of a life maybe even better.
Penguin Bloom, aka Peng, a Magpie of exceptional wit (an Oscar for this bird, anyone?), finds a home with the Blooms for as long as nature will allow. My English major readers will spy immediately the metaphoric nature of Peng paralleling Sam’s imprisonment and release. Peng’s constant complaints (she is a Magpie after all) echo Sam’s despair over her loss of freedom while both, with each other’s help, live to fly another day. The move from inside the house early on to the gorgeous Australian outside is an obvious reflection of bird and mom taking flight. Cliché, yes, maudlin, no.Director Glendyn Ivin carefully keeps our tears back while he accurately shows the struggles and triumphs of living with a disability. Along the way husband Cameron (Andrew Lincoln) earns major stripes as caregiver and super dad. Again, the feel is real; no one could doubt his love for his family and his willingness to give up his freedom for theirs. Everybody wins.
Penguin Bloom
Director: Glendyn Ivin (The Cry)
Screenplay: Shaun Grant (True History of the Kelly Gang), Harry Cripps (the Dry) based on book by Cameron Bloom, et al.
Cast: Naomi Watts (Birdman), Andrew Lincoln (Made in Dagenham), a certain Magpie
Run Time: 1h 35m
John DeSando, a Los Angeles Press Club first-place winner for National Entertainment Journalism, hosts WCBE’s It’s Movie Time and co-hosts Cinema Classics. Contact him at JohnDeSando62@gmail.com
